Ex-Dodgers lefty Danny Coulombe finds success with A’s

Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Daniel Coulombe throws to the plate during a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Tuesday, April 10, 2018, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Michael Owen Baker)

Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Daniel Coulombe throws to the plate during a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Tuesday, April 10, 2018, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Michael Owen Baker)

Photo: Michael Owen Baker / Associated Press

Photo: Michael Owen Baker / Associated Press

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Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Daniel Coulombe throws to the plate during a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Tuesday, April 10, 2018, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Michael Owen Baker)

Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Daniel Coulombe throws to the plate during a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Tuesday, April 10, 2018, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Michael Owen Baker)

Photo: Michael Owen Baker / Associated Press

Ex-Dodgers lefty Danny Coulombe finds success with A’s

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LOS ANGELES — A former Dodgers reliever was back in L.A. this week and reflective about his time in blue.

“It’s a little weird, but I’m always going to be thankful to the Dodgers because they’re the only team that even talked to me out of the draft, and it’s always fun to face guys you know,” said left-hander Danny Coulombe, who worked two scoreless innings Tuesday and struck out three of his friends: Joc Pederson, Yasiel Puig and Kiké Hernandez. Coulombe played with Corey Seager at multiple levels and once shared a locker with Pederson at Wrigley Field.

Coulombe, who has allowed one earned run in seven innings, credits a new two-seamer with helping him this season. “Obviously, the velocity isn’t there yet, but that just comes as the year goes along,” he said. “The two-seam has really helped. It’s given me a lot more confidence in my fastball; last year, I threw almost 70 percent breaking balls.”

Coulombe — who recalls former Dodger reliever J.P. Howell insisting he learn a two-seamer to ensure his longevity before Coulombe was traded to the A’s in 2015 — said he doesn’t get a ton of sink on the pitch, but the movement it has is late, which is ideal. He’s getting a lot of grounders with it — and struck out Puig with it.

Right-hander Chris Hatcher also pitched for the Dodgers, and he worked a scoreless inning Tuesday. “It was real fun,” Hatcher said of facing L.A., adding that the Dodgers had used advanced metrics to help him become more effective.

“They didn’t mold the pitcher I am, but they showed me numbers here that skewed the way I pitch. They ran some numbers that showed my two-seamer wasn’t very effective, it was kind of a pointless pitch to have; you can see that spin-rate guys are going to try to pitch up with the fastball.

“It was small things they brought to light that gave me some more insight and maybe some more longevity.”

Briefly: Left-hander A.J. Puk, the A’s top pitching prospect, had Tommy John surgery in Los Angeles on Tuesday, with Dr. Neal ElAttrache performing the procedure. Puk will be out 12 to 18 months. … Equipment manager Steve Vucinich and video coordinator Adam Rhoden went to two TV shows Monday: “Jay Leno’s Garage,” where they met Leno, and “Ellen” — where they were among those to win a trip to Las Vegas to see singer Gwen Stefani.